a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side

phrase

: a person or thing that repeatedly annoys someone or something or causes problems

He's been a thorn in my side for years.

a thorn in the side of the industry

Examples of a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No anti-Iran narrative Iran has been a thorn in the side of many American presidents for a long time. — Charles Walldorf, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2026

For nearly half a century, Iran has been a thorn in the side of the United States, killing and maiming American soldiers, butchering Israeli citizens, threatening its neighbors and fostering terror around the globe. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026

Burchett, along with Mace, Luna, and other conservative Republicans, is frequently a thorn in the side of congressional leadership and sees the panel as a platform for their legislative priorities. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 26 Feb. 2026

Perhaps wisdom itself was a thorn in the flesh, the cautionary finger-wag of a world that could not be known by one name. — Literary Hub, 25 Feb. 2026